Written Answers Tuesday 8 November 2005

Scottish Executive

Charities

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects the board of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator to be proactive in overseeing the work of the new Scottish Charity Regulator.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Board of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), when it is established, will be responsible for setting the strategic framework under which OSCR will operate and monitoring OSCR’s performance. The operational work of OSCR will be undertaken by the chief executive and staff under delegated powers.

Communities Scotland

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which of its original strategic objectives Communities Scotland has achieved since its inception.

Malcolm Chisholm: At the time of its creation in November 2001, Communities Scotland was set a series of strategic objectives relating to: the delivery of the national housing investment programme; supporting community regeneration; regulating and inspecting social landlords, and supporting local authorities and others to develop effective planning systems.

  These high-level objectives have been underpinned by specific annual targets set for the agency by ministers. Since 2001, particular achievements of the agency include:

  
Funding the construction of around 20,000 affordable homes across Scotland to support regeneration and tackling under-supply issues;
  Delivering almost £1 billion of housing investment, which attracted more than £500 million of private sector funding;
  Funding the installation of around 40,000 central heating systems and funding the insulation of over 50,000 homes;
  Developing the Scottish Housing Quality Standard as it applies to 650,000 houses in the social housing sector, and working with social landlords to help them deliver the Standard by the 2015 target date;
  Helping to deliver the transfer of over 100,000 former local authority houses into community ownership, which will lead to over £2 billion of additional housing investment;
  Funding local authorities to tackle disrepair in the private sector housing stock;
  Integrating the Social Inclusion Partnerships Funding and Better Neighbourhood Services Fund into a single Community Regeneration Fund primarily focussed on Scotland’s 15% most deprived communities;
  Assisting local authorities to develop Regeneration Outcome Agreements which provide the strategy and framework for community regeneration;
  Developing and implementing new mechanisms to help with the long-term development of Scotland’s social economy sector;
  Supporting local adult literacy and numeracy partnerships to help over 100,000 individuals access adult literacy learning;
  Developing and promoting new ways to ensure full and meaningful community engagement;
  Using its regulatory powers to improve the quality of housing and homelessness services delivered by local authorities and registered social landlords to tenants and others, and ensuring that the RSL sector is well governed and financially viable, and
  Improving the quality of the strategic housing planning process through the on-going development of local housing strategies.


  I am delighted with the contribution that Communities Scotland has made and continues to make. However, ministers fully recognise that addressing long-standing issues of housing quality and housing supply, as well as tackling the problems of communities suffering from multiple deprivation, will require a sustained effort from all of the agencies involved, Communities Scotland included.

  The corporate plan for Communities Scotland for 2005 to 2008 that was published in April this year sets out the targets and policy objectives that I have set for the agency for the short, medium and longer terms.

Culture

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what input it had into the UK Government’s position prior to the passing of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive was consulted by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport at each stage of negotiations on the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Diversity of Cultural Contents and Artistic Expressions.

Culture

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will use the Convention on the Protection of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions to promote Scottish cultural expression abroad.

Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive’s International Strategy, published in 2004, sets out strategic goals for the Executive’s international activities. Our cultural agencies are all aware of this strategy and work hard to promote Scotland’s culture abroad. The UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Diversity of Cultural Contents and Artistic Expressions has no direct bearing on these activities.

  The Convention’s focus is on encouraging developed countries to assist poorer, less developed nations to develop their means of cultural expression. It is also potentially a means for all nations to protect cultures within their own borders, especially minority cultures.

  The Convention has not yet entered into force.

Culture

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what regulatory measures will be taken under the Convention on the Protection of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions to promote Scottish cultural output abroad.

Patricia Ferguson: The Convention was approved at the UNESCO General Conference on 20 October 2005, but has still to be ratified by the EU. It is not expected that any new legislation or regulation will be required within the UK to implement the Convention.

Debt

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many money advisers there have been in each year since the implementation of the Debt Arrangement Scheme, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Hugh Henry: The Debt Arrangement Scheme came into force on 30 November 2004. Two money advisers were approved in 2004 for the purposes of the scheme and a further 35 this year so far. Details of approved money advisers broken down by parliamentary constituency are not available.

Debt

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many debt arrangement schemes there have been in each year since the Abolition of Poindings and Warrant Sales Act 2001 came into force, broken down by sheriff court district.

Hugh Henry: The statutory Debt Arrangement Scheme came into force on 30 November 2004. There have been 74 debt payment programmes approved, all in 2005. The scheme does not require a court application, and numbers are not therefore available by sheriff court district.

Debt

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many bankruptcies there have been in each year since the Abolition of Poindings and Warrant Sales Act 2001 came into force, broken down by sheriff court district.

Hugh Henry: The Abolition of Poindings and Warrant Sales Act 2001 never came into force as it was repealed by the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002, which came into force on 30 December 2002.

  The Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) maintains the Register of Insolvencies in Scotland. Details of the numbers of bankruptcies awarded by Sheriffdoms by financial year are compiled by AiB and included in the annual report.

  The table below gives the number of bankruptcies for the financial years 2003-04 and 2004-05, and for the financial year 2005-06 up to 31 October 2005.

  Further information on bankruptcies is available in the Accountant in Bankruptcy’s Annual Report which is available at www.aib.gov.uk.

  

Sheriffdom (Sheriff Court)
1 April 2003 to
31 March 2004
1 April 2004 to
31 March 2005
1 April 2005 to
31 October 2005


Tayside, Central and Fife 
 
 
 


Alloa
35
38
21


Arbroath
43
42
20


Cupar
58
61
46


Dundee 
162
182
314


Dunfermline 
128
156
125


Falkirk 
125
172
112


Forfar
31
36
14


Kirkcaldy
164
212
162


Perth 
107
122
115


Stirling 
50
41
45


Total awards for Sheriffdom
903
1062
974


South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway 
 
 
 


Airdrie
103
124
213


Ayr 
89
85
67


Dumfries 
51
37
39


Hamilton 
232
215
204


Kirkcudbright
19
22
11


Lanark
39
41
33


Stranraer
15
22
20


Total awards for Sheriffdom
548
546
587


North Strathclyde 
 
 
 


Campbeltown
7
9
6


Dumbarton
95
85
66


Dunoon 
13
18
7


Greenock 
49
44
40


Kilmarnock 
158
133
103


Oban 
22
13
8


Paisley 
120
133
134


Rothesay
5
8
4


Total awards for Sheriffdom
469
443
368


Grampian, Highland and Islands 
 
 
 


Aberdeen 
202
254
178


Banff 
19
21
9


Dingwall 
25
12
20


Dornoch
5
7
4


Elgin 
60
78
44


Fort William 
13
19
18


Inverness 
38
58
39


Kirkwall 
10
4
12


Lerwick 
12
9
5


Lochmaddy
2
4
5


Peterhead
68
70
43


Portree 
4
9
3


Stonehaven 
29
39
17


Stornoway 
10
8
16


Tain
6
10
8


Wick
17
13
16


Total awards for Sheriffdom
520
615
437


Lothian and Borders
 
 
 


Duns
5
12
7


Edinburgh 
262
243
231


Haddington
105
81
58


Jedburgh
28
29
21


Linlithgow
124
112
108


Peebles
6
10
2


Selkirk
17
19
26


Total awards for Sheriffdom
547
506
453


Glasgow 
322
349
365


Total Awards
3,309
3,521
3,184


Court of Session (included in the total)
414
528
424

Devolution

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place or correspondence there has been with Her Majesty’s Government in respect of further devolution of powers to the Parliament and on what dates.

Ms Margaret Curran: I refer to the answer to questions S1W-28375 on 10 September 2002 and S2W-5062 answered on 19 January 2004. Where discussions result in agreement that there should be a further devolution of powers, legislative proposals will continue to be put to the Parliament in the context either of Orders in Council made under the Scotland Act 1998 or motions proposed in accordance with the Sewel Convention.

Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funds its Health Department has allocated to NHS boards to cover the costs incurred by primary care services in adjusting their premises and practices in order to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, in particular (a) how much and (b) what percentage of this funding has been allocated to providers of primary care and over what period of time.

Mr Andy Kerr: There have been no general allocations in respect of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (the DDA) and compliance in Primary Care.

  There have been three specific DDA related allocations. The first was £1.5 million from the Primary and Community Care Premises Modernisation Programme for 2004-06 £1.5 million to promote good practice by Primary Care Contractors in the promotion and fulfilment of the requirements of the DDA. The second was a series of programmes over the period 2001-06 to a total value of £2 million to support premises improvements in community pharmacy including improving DDA access. The third was for Dental Practice Improvement Funding which enables independent general dental practitioner’s to upgrade their practices, particularly including addressing the DDA. Over the past four financial years we have made available over £13 million for dental practice improvement. In the current financial year (2005-06) a further £5 million has been made available to NHS boards to support local initiatives and dental practice improvements within general dental services, including decontamination.

  In addition, there has been a significant on-going programme of investment in a range of new and improved premises including better access for patients through the Primary and Community Care Premises Modernisation Programme (PCCPMP) and locally by NHS boards through investment in GP premises and through local capital programmes.

  £52 million was invested under the PCCPMP between 1999 and 2004 and a further £24 million is being invested over the period 2004-06. Full details of locally funded investment programmes are not held centrally.

Education

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional financial support is made available to Angus Council as a result of the number of rural primary schools for which it is responsible.

Peter Peacock: Angus Council receives additional support of £0.79 million in 2005-06 as a result of a redistribution of the Primary School Teaching Staff Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) allocation which is based on the 9.0% of Angus pupils who are educated in small schools i.e. where the pupil roll is 70 or less. In 2006-07 and 2007-08, this redistribution reallocates £0.783 million and £0.809 respectively, based on a percentage of 8.2%. Any current or future changes to this percentage will not now be made until the next spending review, currently scheduled for 2007.

  These GAE allocations are neither budgets or spending targets. They are a component of the more complex local government funding formula which is used to calculate a single revenue grant figure for each council. It is then a matter for each individual council to decide how best to deploy these resources based on local needs and priorities.

Education

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many secondary school teachers have taught (a) the subject in which they undertook a degree or (b) a subject different from their degree qualification in each year since 1999, broken down by degree subject.

Peter Peacock: This information is not held centrally.

  All applicants to postgraduate courses of initial teacher education leading to secondary subject teaching qualifications are required to have a university degree that includes an appropriate breadth and depth of study in the subject of the teaching qualification sought.

  Registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland, which is a pre-requisite for employment as a teacher in a local authority school, is dependent upon holding an appropriate teaching qualification.

Education

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many recorded incidents of school bullying there were in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Peter Peacock: This information is not held centrally. It is for education authorities to develop and implement anti-bullying policies and decide how incidents of bullying should be monitored and recorded. There is no national data collection on school bullying.

  The Scottish Executive takes anti-bullying work very seriously, and is currently establishing a leadership group to look at the future development of anti-bullying services in Scotland. The service should develop the awareness and skills of professionals across the spectrum of children’s services, helping them to promote pro-social behaviour in children and young people, work effectively when bullying occurs and to support the victims of bullying.

Education

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the information provided in its statistical publication, Teachers in Scotland, 2004, how many local authority-employed (a) teachers and (b) additional support assistants have (i) a Bachelor of Education, (ii) a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education and (iii) other qualifications in (1) inclusive and special education, (2) specific learning difficulties, (3) hearing impairment, (4) visual impairment, (5) autistic spectrum disorder and (6) behavioural support, broken down into primary, secondary and special school and by local authority area.

Peter Peacock: This information sought is not currently available due to data quality issues. The Executive is working with local authorities to secure the type of data sought.

Employment

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of (a) public and (b) private sector workers who have left Scotland for employment elsewhere in each year since 1999.

Allan Wilson: Information on the number of workers, split by public and private sector, who have left Scotland for employment elsewhere is not held centrally.

Energy Efficiency

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18492 by Allan Wilson on 7 September 2005, whether it has set a date for publication of its draft energy efficiency strategy.

Allan Wilson: The Executive expects to publish the draft strategy in the spring of 2006.

Environment

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fixed penalty notices for noise nuisance have been issued in each month since they were introduced, broken down by local authority area.

Rhona Brankin: Monthly information is not held or required centrally until the annual report is sent to the Executive from participating local authorities on 31 January 2006. As part of the grant process associated with the implementation of the antisocial noise regime, we are provided with a quarterly progress report from those local authorities which have introduced the service which, among other things, contains information on statutory action taken. The following table gives the number of fixed penalty notices issued in the first two quarters of this reporting year by the relevant authorities.

  

Local Authority
Fixed Penalty Notices Issued


April to June 2005
July to September 2005


Aberdeen
1
8


Angus
0
0


Dumfries and Galloway
0
4


East Ayrshire
0
0


East Lothian
0
0


East Renfrewshire
0
0


Edinburgh
4
10


Falkirk
0
0


Glasgow
0
6


Inverclyde
0
0


Midlothian
0
0


North Ayrshire
0
0


North Lanarkshire
0
0


Renfrewshire
0
0


South Ayrshire
0
0


South Lanarkshire
0
0


West Lothian
0
0


Total
5
28

Flood Prevention

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provides funding for flood protection other than to local authorities and, if so, what funding is available and how it may be accessed.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive provides funding for flood protection only to local authorities, as they are best placed to assess the local need. Funding is in the form of specific capital grants for confirmed flood prevention schemes and revenue support for other operations to protect non-agricultural land. However, local authorities can contribute towards the costs of anyone carrying out flood prevention measures, that the local authority is empowered to do, under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961. Such contributions are entirely a matter for the local authority concerned.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many requests for information under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 have been fully answered since the Act came into force in January 2005; how many requests for information have not been answered and for what reasons; how many requests have been answered within the 20-day period granted for providing the information requested, and what the average time taken to reply to such requests is.

Ms Margaret Curran: A report on information requests handling in the Scottish Executive for requests recorded centrally and received during the period 1 January 2005 to 1 July 2005; is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 37868) and on the freedom of information pages of the Scottish Executive website. This report provides information on the number of requests for which information has not been provided and the number of requests dealt with within the 20 working-day time period. For requests dealt with within the 20 working-day time period, the average time taken to reply to such requests is approximately 15 working days.

H5N1 Influenza

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all NHS boards have joint emergency plans in place with local authorities to deal with any serious outbreak of avian flu among humans.

Mr Andy Kerr: All NHS boards have emergency plans in place which include joint working arrangements with local authorities. In addition, in the event of an outbreak of pandemic flu NHS boards and local authorities would work jointly through the eight regional strategic co-ordinating groups in each of Scotland’s eight police force areas.

H5N1 Influenza

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a list has been compiled of recently retired medical, paramedical and nursing staff who might be able to assist in the event of a serious outbreak of avian flu among humans, as recommended in the Health and Community Care Committee’s 13th Report 2000 (Session 1), Report on Influenza Vaccination (SP Paper 192), and whether any training has been planned for such auxiliary staff.

Mr Andy Kerr: Relevant professional regulatory bodies have lists of retired health care professionals. Training implications would also be taken into consideration.

H5N1 Influenza

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any provision for commandeering sufficient eggs for the production of any new vaccine that might be required to deal with a serious outbreak of avian flu among humans.

Mr Andy Kerr: Flu vaccine manufacturers have given assurances to the UK Government that they have sufficient provision of eggs for flu vaccine production.

Health

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of health establishments abroad which (a) have treated NHS patients in the last five years and (b) it plans to use in future.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally. Scottish people may be given emergency treatment, or within the European Economic Area any necessary treatment, abroad under the reciprocal health care agreements which the United Kingdom has with other countries, or individuals may be referred for treatment in other European Economic Area countries under arrangements known as the E112 system. The Executive has no plans to arrange for NHS patients to be sent abroad for treatment in any other circumstances.

  Reciprocal care treatments are managed and paid for in the country where they take place, in return for the UK giving nationals of that country emergency or necessary treatment free of charge, and the Executive has no information on the medical establishments involved. E112 referrals are made by NHS boards or other UK health authorities on a case-by-case basis, usually for some form of treatment which is not available in the UK, and are approved by the English Department of Health, so again the Executive does not hold records.

Health

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to the invitation from the National Coordinating Centre for Research Capacity Development and the UK Clinical Research Collaboration to enter the new scheme for the training of clinical academics.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive together with the Scottish Funding Council, NHS Education for Scotland and the medical deans have recently established a committee to consider how best to respond to the developments in England and Wales regarding integrated training pathways for clinical and dental academics. The option to enter the scheme which has been advertised is one which will be considered by the group.

Health

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service regarding the future of the Protein Fractionation Centre (PFC) and Alba Bioscience at its Liberton site in south Edinburgh.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will examine all options for the future of the services provided by the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service’s Protein Fractionation Centre in Edinburgh, including the potential for growth of those services within NHS Scotland.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an assurance that all employees and management staff at the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service’s Protein Fractionation Centre will be fully consulted before any decision is taken over the future of its services.

Mr Andy Kerr: Ministers are aware that National Services Scotland is conducting a review of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service’s (SNBTS) blood processing activities located at their Liberton, Edinburgh site. The economics of these activities have been affected by the need for vCJD precautions and the development of new, synthetic blood products. Discussions have taken place to understand the issues affecting the two biopharmaceutical manufacturing businesses and to agree a process for bringing forward proposals for their future.

  The SNBTS is undertaking regular meetings and briefings with colleagues in PFC and Alba Bioscience on these issues and will continue to do so to discuss and consider all the views that have been raised. These proposals have been, and will continue to be, developed in partnership.

  The department will consider the options and recommendations presented by the board of National Services Scotland. No decisions have yet been taken. Ministers expect to receive proposals from NSS shortly.

Health

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether imported blood plasma was present in any blood plasma products used by the NHS, or any other health care suppliers, between 1980 and 1988.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) has confirmed that blood plasma products manufactured by them during 1980-88 were not derived from imported plasma.

  However, demand for blood plasma based products, mainly Factor VIII for the treatment of haemophilia A patients, exceeded available supplies from SNBTS and some products were imported during the period. Responsibility for the purchase of imported products lay with local health boards and, consequently, the Executive does not hold this information centrally.

  Blood plasma products are "Prescription Only Medicines". Authorisation for marketing/distribution of imported blood plasma products within the UK was (and remains) the responsibility of the Medicines Control Agency (now MHRA). Further information on imported plasma products authorised for use in UK during this period may be obtained from Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.

Health

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people suffer from a form of allergy, broken down by NHS board area.

Lewis Macdonald: Information is not held centrally in the form requested. An estimate derived from information collected under NHS National Services’ Information and Statistics Division’s Practice Team Information system suggests that over the whole of Scotland in the 12 months ended in December 2004 approximately 116,750 people with allergies were seen by GPs, practice nurses, community nurses and health visitors. These figures are based on the activity of 46 Scottish general practices with a combined patient population of 289,020. They will not include people who are able to self-manage their allergies and had no occasion to visit their GP practices in connection with their allergies during 2004.

Health

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out any research to determine the level of provision of allergy services.

Lewis Macdonald: In September 2000, the Scottish Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee (SMASAC) produced a detailed and comprehensive report on immunology and allergy services in Scotland. The report set out the provision at that time of services in Scotland for the diagnosis and management of patients with immunological and allergic disorders, identified current deficiencies in service provision and made a number of recommendations for their improvement. The report was widely distributed to NHS boards and individual clinicians with an interest in allergy and immunology, with a view to informing future decisions on services in these fields. SMASAC is currently conducting a review of the report.

Higher Education

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what its response will be to the reduction of 6% in the number of clinical academic staff in 2004.

Allan Wilson: Matters relating to staffing levels within higher education institutions (HEIs) are the responsibility of the institutions. Standards in Scotland’s medical and dental schools are monitored by the Quality Assurance Agency through a system of peer review. The General Medical Council and the General Dental Council also monitor standards within their respective spheres of interest.

  In addition to the range of quality assurance mechanisms outlined above, the Executive will discuss the implications of the drop with the HEIs as part of the normal process of on-going discussions with medical and dental schools.

Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003

Mr Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why cyclists and horses have been given access rights similar to those of pedestrians to the Lade Braes Walk, a traditional pedestrian footpath within the city of St Andrews, under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.

Rhona Brankin: Access rights under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 apply to this path. This legislation came into effect on 9 February 2005, and permits the responsible exercise of access rights under the terms of that act, and in accordance with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

  The Lade Braes Walk is currently the subject of a public consultation by Fife Council Transportation Services, inviting comments on draft proposals to provide for management of its use by cyclists and other users including some widening and lighting of the path. The council is encouraging all those who have views on the draft proposals to submit their views, so that they can be taken into account.

Maternity Services

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place to ensure that there is equal access to prenatal diagnostic ultrasound scanning beyond routine dating ultrasound for all pregnant women.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive are liaising with NHS National Services Scotland and NHS health boards to define the resource implications, both financial and personnel, and possible timescales for delivery of the pregnancy screening recommendations contained within the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland health technology assessment report Routine ultrasound scanning before 24 weeks of pregnancy  which includes a 20 week fetal anomaly scan.

  I am committed to the development of practice across maternity units in Scotland that is consistent and that all pregnant women receive the best possible antenatal care based upon professional evidence and advice.

Mental Health

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in respect of plans by NHS Lothian to upgrade psychiatric care wards at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS Lothian has recently completed the upgrading of the adult acute admission wards at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, following an investment of £535,000.

  The refurbished wards provide a better environment for patients, including more appropriate separation of male and female patients. This in turn means more safety, privacy and dignity for patients. The wards now have separate bedrooms, sitting rooms and washing areas for women and men, and meet the Scottish Executive’s requirements.

  The refurbishment has also provided a dedicated room for families and children to meet relatives undergoing treatment in hospital, as well as better dining and laundry facilities.

NHS Charges

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times NHS penalty charge notices have been issued for evasion of NHS charges in each year since 1999.

Lewis Macdonald: The Patient Claims Team of NHSScotland Counter Fraud Services (CFS) undertake a national programme of checks of patient entitlement to exemption from NHS charges. Penalty charges may be imposed by the CFS where patients are found to have evaded NHS charges. Patients are given the opportunity to produce evidence of exemption from NHS charges to the CFS before a penalty charge is imposed. Where patients who are not exempt realise, after initial contact by the CFS, that they have made a mistake and pay back the charge, the CFS will not impose a penalty charge. If payment is difficult, the CFS will accept staged payments. The CFS will also provide information on how to apply under the NHS Low Income Scheme for full or partial help with NHS charges.

  The information requested is shown in the following table.

  

Financial Year
Number of Patient Entitlements Checked
Number of Penalty Charges Applied


2005-06 (to 30-09-05)
20,056
5,289


2004-05
54,706
6,183


2003-04
31,487
6,071


2002-03
25,005
2,419


2001-02
10,236
32


2000-011
0
0


Total
146,490
19,994



  Note: 1. The CFS was set up in July 2000. A small test run of 841 patient claims was carried out to check the quality of CFS data against the Department for Work and Pensions’ automated system. No other checks of patient entitlement to exemption from NHS charges were undertaken during this period due to problems with patient consent.

NHS Charges

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times NHS penalty charge notices issued for evasion of NHS charges have subsequently been removed in each year since 1999.

Lewis Macdonald: The aim of penalty charges, and all of the work of NHSScotland Counter Fraud Services (CFS), is deterrence - to make people who should pay for their NHS prescriptions, dental treatment or other services but try not to do so think twice about evading charges in future.

  The CFS adopt a common sense approach. Penalty charges are only imposed when patients have not provided proof of exemption to the CFS or have confirmed that they have made a mistake but not paid back the charge evaded. Where a penalty charge notice has been issued and there is subsequent contact which indicates that there are personal circumstances which should be taken into account, the charge will not be pursued. Each case is judged on its merits. The CFS will also provide information on how to apply under the NHS Low Income Scheme for full or partial help with NHS charges and undertake publicity campaigns to clarify and raise public awareness of the categories of people who are entitled to Family health services free of charge.

  The information requested is shown in the following table.

  

Financial Year
Number of Patient Entitlements Checked
Number of Penalty Charges Applied
Number of Penalty Charges Not Pursued


2005-06 (to 30-09-05)
20,056
5,289
1,411


2004-05
54,706
6,183
1,999


2003-04
31,487
6,071
1,122


2002-03
25,005
2,419
669


2001-02
10,236
32
0


2000-011
0
0
0


Total
146,490
19,994
5,201



  Note: 1. The CFS was set up in July 2000. A small test run of 841 patient claims was carried out to check the quality of CFS data against the Department for Work and Pensions’ automated system. No other checks of patient entitlement to exemption from NHS charges were undertaken during this period due to problems with patient consent.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to train cognitive behavioural therapists.

Lewis Macdonald: Since 2003 the Scottish Executive has provided additional funding, through NHS Education for Scotland (NES), to support the expansion of pre-registration training capacity for psychological care. This has particularly been aimed at Masters level training, and has focussed primarily on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

  The Scottish Executive and NES recognise that there is a wide psychological skills base available from graduates that could deliver primary care support to adult patients not requiring specialist treatment. Scotland has pioneered modernisation of the training pathways to meet changing health service needs, establishing flexible paths for multi-professional training in CBT for graduate psychology students, nurses and occupational therapists. This modernisation programme is unique to Scotland.

  In addition to a Masters level course in CBT in Glasgow, NES has developed, together with Stirling and Dundee Universities, a 1 year MSc in Psychological Therapy. This equips graduates of the Masters with the competencies to deliver interventions for common mental health problems presenting in adults in primary care using cognitive-behavioural therapy. This means that patients and the service benefit early from increased investment in training: for example, 26 new graduates will enter the workforce in January 2006.

  NES are addressing further gaps in psychological care provision by developing a parallel training development designed to address the need for early interventions in psychology services for children and young people with a view to a first intake by January 2007.

  The Scottish Executive also sponsors the "Doing Well by People with Depression" Programme. The programme builds capacity in the use of cognitive behavioural therapy in the treatment of people affected by depression. The programme is working in partnership with 10 NHS boards on delivering CBT to appropriate patients and has undertaken staff training in CBT on a pilot basis, in each area to enable this service to be delivered. In addition the programme is developing web-based training packages for practitioners.

Planning

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has conducted any economic assessment to consider and quantify the potential impact on the economy of the introduction of a third party right of appeal.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive has not undertaken any specific economic assessment of the possible impact on the economy of introducing of a third party right of appeal.

  The Scottish Executive’s consultation paper Rights of Appeal in Planning, issued on 1 April 2004, was accompanied by a Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment, which indicated the type of costs that might arise from the various models of appeal mechanism considered in the consultation paper.

Planning

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been undertaken to determine the effectiveness of public hearings prior to decisions being made on planning applications, including gathering information on experiences of the general public.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has not undertaken such research.

  We discussed the issue of hearings in detail with a wide range of stakeholders as part of drawing up the White Paper Modernising the Planning System. Responses that we have subsequently received to the White Paper confirmed that there is widespread support for extending the use of hearings.

Planning

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of public hearings for communities on planning applications that have taken place in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.

Planning

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make sustainable development a mandatory requirement of the planning system when the proposed Planning Bill is introduced.

Malcolm Chisholm: The proposals in the White Paper Modernising the Planning System will increase the opportunities for the planning system to play its role in delivering sustainable development. We are currently considering the content of the Planning Bill, which we intend to introduce shortly.

Planning

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances a third party right of appeal in planning might be instituted.

Malcolm Chisholm: The introduction of a third party right of appeal in planning would require primary legislation.

  The White Paper Modernising the Planning System sets out (section 5.3.4) the Executive’s reasons for not proposing a third party right of appeal in planning.

Renewable Energy

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on testing wave and tidal technology projects in each of the last five years.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is contributing over £3 million of funding to the establishment of the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney. This consists of £2.125 million paid between 2002 and 2004 towards the cost of the wave device testing facilities and £1.08 million being paid during the current financial year towards the tidal device testing facilities.

  Funding for EMEC totalling £8.45 million has also been provided by other public sector partners; Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise, the Carbon Trust, Orkney Islands Council, the Department of Trade and Industry and the European Regional Development Fund. In addition Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Carbon Trust have made available working capital support of £2.5 million to fund the operational aspects of EMEC.

Vaccines

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any future vaccines will contain thiomersal or similar heavy metal based preservatives.

Mr Andy Kerr: The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) will consider marketing authorisation applications for thiomersal-containing vaccines on a case-by-case basis, taking into account efficacy and public health needs. The EMEA continues to endorse the development of vaccines without, or with reduced levels of, thiomersal. The EMEA acknowledges that during some manufacturing processes the use of thiomersal is necessary.

Vaccines

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children aged up to 18 have received no vaccinations in their lifetime.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not available for children up to 18 years. Although data is available from 1987 it is not possible to use that for children older than 13 as there are some concerns about the quality of data submitted in the early 1990s.

  Children Receiving the Seven Childhood Primary Vaccinations

  

Year of Birth
Age
Total No. Children2
Completed all Vaccines.
Received at Least One Dose of any Vaccine3,4,5
Received no Vaccine


No.
%
No.
%
No.
%


1991
13
67,479
61,487
91
65,802
98
1,677
3


1992
12
65,802
61,000
93
64,181
98
1,621
3


1993
11
62,709
57,573
92
61,122
98
1,587
3


1994
10
61,676
57,017
92
60,101
97
1,575
3


1995
9
59,774
55,941
94
58,397
98
1,377
2


1996
8
58,825
55,033
94
57,617
98
1,208
2


1997
7
59,323
55,637
94
58,363
98
960
2


1998
6
57,736
54,648
95
57,015
99
721
1


1999
5
55,582
51,537
93
55,061
99
521
1


2000
4
53,987
47,519
88
53,496
99
491
1


2001
3
52,815
46,384
88
52,309
99
506
1


2002
2
51,590
45,181
88
51,138
99
452
1



  Source: SIRS, GIRS.

  Notes: ISD Scotland.

  1. Childhood primary vaccinations comprise of three doses of Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Polio, Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib), Meningococcal serogroup C (MenC) and one dose of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella.

  2. Immunisation information is sourced from the Standard Immunisation Recall System (SIRS) and from the Grampian Immunisation.

  3. Children who have received at least one dose of any childhood primary vaccination.

  4. Men C was introduced into the childhood vaccination programme in the autumn of 1999 and therefore is only included in the analysis from 2000 onwards.

  5. Hib was introduced into the childhood vaccination programme in 1992 and therefore is excluded from the analysis prior to this date.

  6. Information shown includes children born from 1991 to 2002 i.e. up to the age of 13 years. Figures include children moving in/out of Scotland.

  7. Information is based on children resident in Scotland as at 31 December 2004 and vaccination history at that time.

Voluntary Sector

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the opportunities for disabled people who wish to become involved in volunteering.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive’s Volunteering Strategy sets out our way forward to embed a robust culture of volunteering across Scotland, including volunteering by disabled people. This includes the provision of resources for Volunteer Development Scotland and the network of volunteer centres to provide advice and support to all volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations. Volunteer Development Scotland has recently undertaken and published a report on Volunteering and Disability: Experiences and perceptions of volunteering from disabled people and organisations , which will help raise awareness of this issue and provide a platform to address barriers.

Warm Deal

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a statistical analysis of the success of EAGA Partnership Ltd in delivering, on schedule, central heating replacements and installations under the Warm Deal.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Each year, statistical analysis is provided on the success of the Central Heating and Warm Deal Programmes in the Scottish Executive Report, Benefits From Home Energy Efficiency Schemes In Scotland

  The latest Annual Report covering the period 2003-04 is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 35755). An electronic version is available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/social/chpwd-00.asp.

Warm Deal

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to which sub-contractors EAGA Partnership Ltd has allocated the delivery of central heating renewal and/or installations and whether it is required to report back to the Executive on the success or failure rate of sub-contractors.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Eaga Partnership, which administers the central heating programme on behalf of the Scottish Executive, has responsibility to source contractors engaged on the programmes. Eaga is required to report on the number of system installations completed and on the number of complaints received each month.

  The number of installations completed each month is provided on Eaga’s website at www.eaga.co.uk.

Warm Deal

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many homes have had installations or renovations carried out since the inception of the Warm Deal; how many applications are outstanding, and what the current waiting list is.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Eaga Partnership has indicated the current waiting time for Warm Deal installations is approximately three months and around 2,900 applicants are waiting for insulation works.

  The following table shows the number of properties benefiting from Warm Deal grants from April 1999 to March 2005.

  Properties Benefiting from Warm Deal Grant April 1999 to March 2005

  

Programme Year
No. of Properties Treated


1999–20001
47,085


2000–01
49,215


2001–02
40,877


2002–03
29,992


2003–042
29,243


2004–053
21,799


Total
218,211



  Notes:

  1. Includes 8,636 properties treated on the NEEDS scheme.

  2. Includes properties in the public sector treated with central heating upgrades and "innovative measures", such as fuel switching, under the Warm Deal Programme.

  3 Includes properties in the public and private sector treated with central heating upgrades and "innovative measures", such as fuel switching, under the Warm Deal Programme.

Warm Deal

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many contracts under the Warm Deal have been completed in each local authority area.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Installations under the Warm Deal are managed by Eaga Partnership Ltd and by individual local authorities. However, Eaga Partnership Ltd does not hold information at the local authority level and it is not, therefore, possible to supply the information requested in respect of installations undertaken by Eaga.

  In respect of those installations undertaken by local authorities, the information requested is set out in the following table.

  Warm Deal Installations for Local Authorities 1999-2000 to 2004-05

  

Local Authority
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05


Aberdeen 
672
672
256
161
60
238


Aberdeenshire
925
1,001
1,405
829
853
456


Angus
580
720
817
372
0
0


Argyll and Bute
433
1,174
730
0
0
0


Clackmannanshire
636
632
324
0
0
0


Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
83
111
16
10
53
32


Dumfries and Galloway
398
469
492
334
0
0


Dundee City
496
550
534
540
187
0


East Ayrshire
887
1,148
421
102
403
264


East Dunbartonshire
261
1,164
859
233
282
278


East Lothian
343
367
333
84
418
217


East Renfrew
274
209
145
0
150
0


Edinburgh 
800
779
570
609
280
655


Falkirk 
694
535
187
84
0
34


Fife 
2,787
741
915
300
0
0


Glasgow City
2,809
3,128
1,570
514
0
0


Highland 
255
532
288
24
0
0


Inverclyde
1,511
1,127
1,927
1,098
0
0


Midlothian 
322
225
164
54
0
3


Moray
484
200
92
0
0
0


North Ayrshire
1,268
1,274
1,281
285
1,060
172


North Lanarkshire
832
1,128
1,428
553
500
360


Orkney
78
114
31
14
0
0


Perth and Kinross
0
0
0
0
0
0


Renfrewshire
586
606
625
70
46
46


Scottish Borders
414
505
446
412
0
0


Shetland
74
75
83
6
92
60


South Ayrshire
857
904
947
560
278
292


South Lanarkshire
1,410
1,161
636
162
312
200


Stirling 
291
670
303
138
472
0


West Dunbartonshire
1,011
420
342
89
59
162


West Lothian
124
319
382
600
415
591


Total
22,595
22,660
18,549
8,237
5,920
4,060

Waste Management

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a decision has been taken on funding the SNIFFER research into the potential health impacts of putting sewage sludge on non-agricultural land, as proposed by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Ross Finnie: I understand that SNIFFER’s UK research programme prioritisation meeting on 27 September placed the project on "Environmental impact of using sewage sludge on forestry and for restoration of derelict land" as first priority for the 2006-07 programme. The provisional programme must, however, be discussed by the Corporate Management Team of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the main board of the Environment and Heritage Service for Northern Ireland before being finalised in early 2006.

  The views of its corporate management team, and the status of its research proposals, are a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Water Services

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the performance of the Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland.

Rhona Brankin: Prior to his replacement by the Water Industry Commission on 1 July 2005, the commissioner’s performance in regulating Scottish Water led to Scottish Water delivering operational savings of around £2 million per week, easing the burden of charges to customers. The Executive consider that to have been a highly satisfactory performance.

Water Services

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the performance of the Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland’s customer service relationship with members of the public and elected members.

Rhona Brankin: The commissioner is required to submit to ministers, and publish, an annual report on the exercise of his functions including customer service.

Water Services

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what performance-related measures are in place to ensure that letters written to the office of the Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland by members of the public and elected members are answered promptly.

Rhona Brankin: Prior to his replacement by the Water Industry Commission on 1 July 2005, the commissioner’s office aimed to respond to correspondence within ten working days.

Water Services

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is acceptable for the office of the Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland not to respond fully to my letter of 9 June 2005 asking why it had failed to answer a constituent’s letters, emails and recorded delivery letters since February 2005 about an interruption to the water supply.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive expects all public bodies to respond fully to all points raised in communications with them.

Water Services

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is acceptable for the office of the Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland not to respond to my letters of 9 June and 16 August 2005 on behalf of a constituent.

Rhona Brankin: No. My officials have been in touch with the former commissioner and I understand that there was a breakdown in communication at his office with the series of correspondence to which you refer. His office accepts full responsibility for the breakdown and he has written to you personally to apologise and to seek to address any outstanding issues.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Parliamentary Staff

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the sickness absence levels of its staff have been in each year since the Parliament’s inception and, of these, what proportion were reported as being stress-related.

Duncan McNeil: The information you requested is set out below. Please note that there is no available data for 1999-2000 and 2000-01.

  

Reporting Year (September – August)
Average Number of Staff in Post
Total Number of Days Sick
Total Average Days Lost Per Person
Number of Days Reported as being Stress-Related
Proportion of Days lost per Person due to Stress-Related Absence


2001-02
465.3
2,993
6.4
3 
0.006


2002-03
464
3,869
8.3
62*
0.13


2003-04
497.6
2,704.5
5.4
114**
0.22


2004-05
502.4
3,981.5
7.9
876***
1.7



  Notes:

  *41 days were reported as work-related

  **63 days were reported as work-related

  ***60 days were reported as work-related

  ***818 days attributed to seven individual long-term sick cases.